Ahousaht First Nation Warriors Win B.C. Salmon Farm Standoff

“I’m shocked it was this easy with just a handful of warriors… imagine what we can do with a Nation. Imagine what we can do with all the people that care for this planet.”

With these words, Lennie John of the Ahousaht First Nation on the west coast of Vancouver Island, declared victory over one of Japan’s largest and most powerful corporations in a fight for his nation’s territorial rights and food security, and in defence of wild salmon.

John, who operates a small tourist business, was one of many Ahousaht outraged over the placement of a new salmon farm being constructed by salmon farming giant, Cermaq (a subsidiary of Mitsubishi), in a place they call Yaakswiis Bay. The proposed feedlot site, approved by the B.C. provincial government in July 2015, was adjacent to the Atleo River, an important salmon river that has been fished by his people…